500
WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1860
after your arrival at Brownsville, and particularly in relation to the following-the hanging of Cabrera at Brownsville and who participated in it-the hanging of other Mexicans, by whose orders, and by whom-the battle of Rio Grande City-who com- manded the troops-the plan of the battle and whether the same was carried out by the troops-the crossing of the Rio Grande and the participants in the battle on the Mexican side-the discipline of the troops under your command-whether you received orders from Major Heintzleman and obeyed the same in all instances-the burning of the ranches and by whom! Thine Truly Sam Houston. 1 Executive Rec.ords, 1859-1861, p. 48, Texas State Library. William Girard Tobin (May 21, 1833-July 7, 1883) was born in Barn- well, South Carolina. He came to Texas in 1853 and settled at San An- tonio, where, in 1854, he married Marie Josephine, the daughter of John W. Smith, who is famed as the last messenger from the Alamo, March 3, 1836. In order to deliver this message from William B. Travis to Hous- ton, Smith 1·ode from San Antonio to San Felipe, a distance of 180 miles, in fifty-seven hours. When the Civil War broke out, William G. Tobin joined the forces of the Confederacy and served throughout the war, first under Colonel T. C. Frost, and later under General Magruder. After the war was over, he returned to San Antonio, where for many years he was engaged in the hotel business, owning and operating several of the prominent hotels of the city. He also served several terms as mayor of San Antonio, and was known throughout Texas as a liberal, public spirited man. He died in San Antonio in July, 1883. See International Blue Book, p. 90; Ellis Davis, The New Encyclopedia of Texas, III, 1861. To JAM Es s. G 1LLETT 1 Executive Department, Austin, March 6, 1860. Major James S. Gillett Sir, You are hereby authorized to purchase five hundred bushels of corn and so soon as your receipt for the same is pre- sented here the cash will be paid to the bearer of the receipt. Sam Houston. 1 Executive Records, 1859-1861, Texas State Library. James S. Gillett was born in Kentucky, but was reared and educated in Missouri. He came to Texas in 1848, and located at Paris, the county seat of Lamar County. Governor Pease appointed him adjutant general in 1854, and it was dur- ing his tenure of that office that all the documents, that had accrued in that department since 1835, were burned, October, 1855. This fire destroyed all the muster rolls of the Army of the Texas Republic, as well as many
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